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Creative Arts Educ Ther (2019) 5(2):96–108 DOI: 10.15212/CAET/2019/5/35 From Ikebana to Botanical Arranging: Artistic, Therapeutic, and Spiritual Alignment with Nature 从花道到园艺治疗：与自然在艺术，治疗和精神层面的契合 Alexander Kopytin Saint Petersburg Academy of Postgraduate Pedagogical Education, Russia Abstract This article reviews the history of the Japanese art of Ikebana and the contemporary ecological art therapy practice involving botanical arranging and their correlation and contribution to the physical and mental well-being of human beings. Different perspectives are offered by a Brazilian Ikebana professor, with a neurological background, from the Ikenobo School, a Russian art therapist specializing in ecological art therapy, and a Chinese creative art therapist with a biomedical background. Ikebana and botanical arranging are considered forms of creative interaction with nature, providing multiple therapeutic effects and showing us how to realign with the laws of nature. Keywords: Ikebana, Japanese arts, Zen Buddhism, Ecological therapy, Arts therapies, Art expression, Botanical arranging 摘要 本文回顾了日本花道艺术的历史以及包含园艺治疗的当代生态艺术治疗实践，并审度了两者与人类身心健康的关联和影响。一位来自巴西的日本花道学院具有神经医学背景的花道专家，一位专门从事生态艺术疗法的俄罗斯艺术治疗师和一位生物医学背景的中国创造性艺术治疗师提出了各自不同的观点。花道和园艺治疗被视作与自然创造性互动的形式，具有多种治疗效果，并向我们展示了如何重新顺应自然法则。 关键词: 花道，日本艺术，禅宗佛教，生态治疗，艺术治疗，艺术表达，植物布置，园艺治疗

BackgroundSustaining the wellbeing for children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be highly demanding. Dance Movement Psychotherapy (DMP), a form of psychotherapy with a non-verbal character, may present as a relevant intervention option for this group of children.MethodsA protocol-based group DMP intervention was developed and implemented in two special educational needs schools in the North West of England. We aimed to investigate the effects of DMP on children with ASD using the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Twenty-six children aged between 8 and 13 years (mean age = 10.65 years) with ASD were randomly allocated to DMP and a control group with standard care, following a crossover research design.ResultsResults showed no significant carryover or period effects for either the SCQ or SDQ (p > 0.05). A significant intervention effect was found only for SCQ (p = 0.005) but not for SDQ (p > 0.05). ANCOVAs were performed on the data before the crossover to test for differences in SCQ and SDQ scores between the DMP intervention and control groups while controlling for pre-intervention scores. Those in the DMP intervention group presented significantly lower SCQ scores following the intervention period than those in the control group (p = 0.001). No significant differences in post-intervention SDQ scores were found between DMP intervention and control groups (p = 0.2). However, minimal clinically important differences (MCID) were reached for both SCQ and SDQ measures before crossover for those in the DMP intervention group. Moreover, repeated measures ANOVAs performed on SCQ and SDQ measures following crossover were significant, with the change in both SCQ (p = 0.001) and SDQ (p = 0.009) pre-and post-intervention being significantly greater for those in the DMP intervention than the control group.ConclusionThe pilot DMP intervention has shown promising results on the social and emotional wellbeing of children with ASD irrespective of whether they preferred verbal or non-verbal mode of communication. Limitations and appropriateness of the research methods implemented in this study for their use in a large RCT are discussed in detail. Overall, our findings highlight the value of creative therapies for improving the lives of young vulnerable groups.

The data that support the findings of this study are openly available at https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/_/13187138. © 2020 Havsteen-Franklin, Tjasink, Kottler, Grant and Kumari. Crisis events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, can have a devastating effect on communities and the care professionals within them. Over recent years, arts-based interventions have helped in a wide range of crisis situations, being recommended to support the workforce during and after complex crisis but there has been no systematic review of the role of arts-based crisis interventions and whether there are cogent themes regarding practice elements and outcomes. We, therefore, conducted a systematic review to (i) define the arts-based change process used during and after crisis events, and (ii) explore the perceptions of intermediate and long-term mental health benefits of arts-based interventions for professionals in caring roles. Our search yielded six studies (all qualitative). All data were thematically aggregated and meta-synthesized, revealing seven practice elements (a safe place, focusing on strengths and protective factors, developing psychosocial competencies to support peers, emotional expression and processing, identifying and naming the impact of the crisis, using an integrative creative approach, and cultural and organizational sensitivity) applied across all six studies, as well as a range of intermediate and long-term benefits shared common features (adapting, growing, and recovering; using the community as a healing resource; reducing or preventing symptoms of stress or trauma reactions, psychophysiological homeostasis). The ways in which these studies were designed independently from one another and yet used the same practice elements in their crisis interventions indicates that there is comparability about how and why the arts-based practice elements are being used and to what effect. Our findings provide a sound basis and meaningful parameters for future research incorporating quantitative and qualitative approaches to firmly establish the effectiveness of art-based interventions, and how arts can support cultural sensitivity, acceptability and indicated outcomes, particularly those relating to stress and trauma during or following a crisis. NHS

BackgroundOver the last decades there has been a change in the way schooling is perceived recognizing that children’s learning is closely linked to children’s health. Children spend most of their time at school, which is often the place where problems are identified and interventions are offered, not only for treatment but also prevention. Embedding arts therapies into the educational system may help address children’s emerging needs and have a positive impact on their wellbeing.MethodsA pilot cross-over randomized controlled design was employed to investigate the effectiveness of an arts therapies intervention on a series of child- and teacher-reported outcome measures, specifically, health related quality of life (assessed using a HRQOL scale; EQ-5D-Y), wellbeing and life functioning (assessed using the child outcome rating scale; CORS), emotional and behavioral difficulties (assessed using the strengths and difficulties questionnaire; SDQ), as well as duration of sleep (assessed using Fitbits). Sample size calculations for future large-scale studies were also performed, and the sustained impact of the intervention was evaluated at 3, 6, and 12 months follow-up. The pluralistic theoretical and therapeutic framework of this intervention was informed by a systematic review on school-based arts therapies interventions and is presented in detail in the study protocol. Participants were 62 children with mild emotional and behavioral difficulties.ResultsImprovements in HRQOL and CORS were greater in those engaged in the arts therapies intervention than the control groups and were maintained at the follow-up stages. Significant improvements were only found for duration of sleep (P = 0.002) and SDQ (P = 0.008). Minimal clinically important differences (MCIDs) as defined in the published protocol were found for CORS, SDQ and duration of sleep, but not HRQOL.DiscussionFindings indicate that the arts therapies interventions were having a clinically significant effect on life functioning, duration of sleep, emotional and behavioral difficulties. Findings also indicate a small effect size for health related quality of life, suggesting the intervention was having a small positive effect on this outcome measure. The study indicates that all outcome measures assessed here would be suitable for inclusion in a larger randomized controlled study utilizing these arts therapies interventions, and that a sample size of 225 participants would be required if these outcome measures were used.

Observing lifelong learning programs in Latvia, there is a tendency to develop study courses that ensure the acquisition of new professional knowledge and skills, as well as their development, but a very minor section of courses and programs is devoted to the personality, resources, needs and acquisition of broad skills involved in adult education. In professional and scientific literature there is no reflection of the research conducted so far in Latvia on the use of arts therapies in maintaining the quality of life of adults in the context of lifelong learning. Purpose of the article: to research education as one of the indicators of quality of life in Europe and Latvia and differences and similarities in andragogy and arts therapies in order to get an idea of the possibilities of using arts therapies in lifelong learning. Method: content analysis of pedagogical and psychological literature, scientific articles, data of Eurostat population quality of life surveys, as well as official EU and Republic of Latvia guidelines on quality of life and lifelong learning issues. Results: the professional and personal competencies of an adult educator and an art therapist are highly demanding and have a number of common features. An adult educator and an art therapist have similar professional tasks - to see the needs of those involved in adult education and arts therapies, to support individual self-development, to encourage personality development, thus improving the quality of life. For each specialisation of arts therapies (music, dance and movement, drama and visual plastic) a specific application can be made according to target groups, educational stage and programs, as well as areas of needs.

Questa presa di posizione presenta un nuovo paradigma su struttura e natura intrinseca alla pratica di 'Arte e Salute'. Questo paradigma si basa su una varieta di esperienze di ricerca in piu di vent’anni di lavoro come musicoterapista, musicista, professionista di Musica e Salute, ricercatore e direttore del programma 'Arte e Salute' in ospedali universitari, contesti comunitari e organizzazioni non governative in Irlanda e Regno Unito. Lo scopo di questo lavoro e quello di proporre una nuova prospettiva sul termine 'Arte e Salute', per comprendere tutte le attivita artistiche che esistono in contesti legati alla salute stessa. Questo paradigma ha lo scopo di contrastare le barriere artificiali e difensive costruite tra professionisti e gruppi professionali nel campo, favorire maggior rispetto e comprensione tra gli operatori, e contribuire a individuare le esigenze di formazione e sviluppo per i vari professionisti delle arti che lavorano in contesti relativi a salute e benessere. Cio che si propone e che le attuali assunzioni di definizioni circostanti, intese comunemente come "Arte e Salute ' e Arti-Terapie, siano inutili e problematiche, e che percio debbano essere raffinate.

Background: Dance is an embodied activity with benefits for mobility, balance, and quality of life of persons affected by Parkinson’s Disease (PD). It is enjoyable and likely to support adherence to movement prescriptions. The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of measuring changes in psychological outcomes, specifically well-being, body self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and experienced beauty after a single Argentine Tango intervention in a workshop format. To anchor experienced beauty in a theory, the article introduces a model of embodied aesthetics featuring active art-making as a central aspect of healing in arts-based interventions. Methods: In a single-group pre-post design, we tested the feasibility of measuring psychological changes of 34 PD patients from Southern Germany after an introductory workshop in Argentine Tango. They participated in a 90 minutes Tango for PD intervention and completed the Heidelberg State Inventory (HSI-24; Koch, Morlinghaus, & Fuchs, 2007), the Body Self-Efficacy Scale (BSE; Fuchs & Koch, 2014) with a subdimension on aesthetic experience, and the Credibility-Expectancy Questionnaire (CEQ; Devilly & Borkovec, 2000) before and after the intervention. A subgroup completed the therapeutic factors of arts therapies-scale, a new measure to elaborate on the aesthetic experience. We analyzed pre-post-differences with a t-test for paired samples. Results and Discussion: The study supports the feasibility of measuring health-related psychological changes from a single Argentine Tango intervention for PD patients, as well as acceptance and appropriateness of the intervention for the patient group. After the tango intervention, well-being, body self-efficacy, and outcome expectancies increased. Participants also experienced an increase in beauty of their movements and other aesthetic aspects. We suspect that, in addition to the functional and psychological factors identified so far, the aesthetic experience in dance may be an important therapeutic factor mediating several outcomes of dance and other arts-based interventions. A controlled study for evidence-based testing of targeted variables can now follow to examine the new hypotheses.

Arts therapies and Schema Focused therapy (SFT), use experiential techniques to help patients access and reprocess emotions. We conducted a randomized controlled pilot study to determine the effectiveness of these therapies at evoking emotional states ("schema modes") in forensic patients, a group that is considered difficult to reach emotionally. Ten male forensic patients with Cluster B personality disorders who were enrolled in a randomized clinical trial of SFT versus usual forensic treatment ("treatment as usual," TAU) participated in the study. We investigated the effect of Arts therapies versus verbal psychotherapy, and SET versus TAU on modes. As hypothesized, patients showed significantly more healthier emotional states in their Arts therapy sessions than in their verbal psychotherapy sessions SFT evoked more childmodes than TAU, at a trend level of significance. Patients in the SF-T and TAU conditions showed no differences in schema modes early in therapy, and were equivalent on all baseline characteristics. These findings, though requiring replication in a larger sample, suggest that Arts therapies and SET have potential for evoking emotional states in difficult to reach patients. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The paper encourages research in Arts Therapies, accepting mixed methodologies and emphasizing arts based research in order to achieve an evidence based practice. Some examples are brought. Univ. Hebrea de Jerusalén, Dep. de estudios de Teatro. Danza Movimiento Terapeuta. Coeditora del libro La Vida es Danza: el Arte y la Ciencia de la Danza Movimiento Terapia (Gedisa) y autora de diversos artículos. Imparte clases y supervisiones en diferentes países. Supervisión a través de Skype.